The Stony Steps Down A Winding Path
by memyselfandi3
Summary: Before there was Harry. There was Lily and James. Voldemort is ascending to power and times have gone from bad, to worse


*Disclamer: I own nothing. The characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I am merely an excited fan who has a vision that involves Lily and James and wants to share with others. Don't sue me, I am poor and am going to school..(  
  
The young girl walked hurriedly into The Leaky Cauldron and shook the heavy raindrops off her robes. It had been raining hippogroffs and trolls all morning and the clouds only increased into the afternoon. She deftly pulled the hood away from her face and looked around. Spotting him, her green eyes shone with delight and her lips curved into a mischievous smile. Walking carefully in between tables, she snuck upon her prey only to be met with a good humored,  
"Late again, I see."  
Frowning to hide a laugh, Lily drew upon a seat and sat across from her hooded and secretive friend. Assuming the position of a pseudo-pout, she said,  
"You know, you get me every time. I can never sneak upon you, can I?"  
"You know well enough that a person in such positions as myself cannot be careless enough to let friends tiptoe behind me, let alone strangers."  
Lily laughed a lighthearted smile and let her hands rest upon the table. Looking across the table, she noticed new scars present on his hands and face. As low as his hood was, Lily could still sense warmth radiate from the otherwise cold and aloof frame before her. His hair looked as if it had been neglected and his nose looked as if it needed medical attention. He had lost some weight since their previous visit, but otherwise, he was none the worse for wear. Sensing that Lily was going to discuss his haggard looks, he decided to initiate conversation,  
"Seeing as how you were 17 minutes and 20 seconds counting late, I hope you can offer some excuse as to why?"  
Lily's eyes shone as she remembered why she had been late.  
"Books," was all Lily offered and all that her companion needed. That response explained it all. Of the few things in Life that could keep Lily interested, Books was high upon her list. She often joked about it when people asked her if she had ever been in love, her reply was always, 'Of course. I'm in love with Hemmingway.' Or, 'What would I do without Shaw and Shakespeare?'  
"Ah, I see. Have you spent all of your funds on magnificent books or have you left a scrapping for your school supplies?"  
"Of course. I had planned to buy them this afternoon but lugging around heavy school supplies in the pouring rain is definitely not my forte. I will have to wait till tomorrow. Although, I intended to meet Avi (the condensed version of Ariviana) and Nadia tomorrow along with a few others."  
He nodded his head slightly and glanced warily around the Cauldron. As his eyes flew past a table, his gaze settled onto to eyes staring coldly back at him. Barely moving a finger, he was beckoned to come closer. Serious nodded so much to let the person know he had acknowledged their presence but ever so slightly so as not to draw attention to himself. He abruptly turned to face his loyal and best friend, borderline sister if you will.  
"I apologize for having to cut this wonderful visit short but I have to check in on my mother. I told her I would return at 4:00 and it is already 4:30," he lied.  
"Oh," was all the answer Lily gave. She had wanted to spend more time with her friend, whom she hadn't seen in two months. His secretive manners never scared her, but the frost that had settled upon his face did. He looked cold and distant, his hands were icy and his eyes carefully guarded. Something had happened over the summer to her friend and she intended to find out exactly where her old friend had gone and why this new person was in his place. Forging her usual bright (and sometimes nauseatingly) smile, Lily stood and left the shop with her friend. She didn't know that the answer to her question was not far away. In fact it had been sitting naught but 15 yards away from their table. As Lily journeyed home, her friend had doubled back into the pub and into a more secretive corner. 


End file.
